Ain't Nothing Like the Real Thing

"Ain't Nothing Like the Real Thing" is a 1968 single released by American R&B/soul duo Marvin Gaye and Tammi Terrell, on the Tamla label in 1968. The B-side of the single is "Little Ole Boy, Little Ole Girl" from the duo's United LP. The first release off the duo's second album: You're All I Need, the song - written and produced by regular Gaye/Terrell collaborators Ashford & Simpson - became a hit within weeks of release eventually peaking at number 8 on the Billboard Hot 100 and number 1 on the Hot Soul Singles chart,[1] the first of the duo's s two number 1 R&B hits. In the UK "Ain't Nothing Like the Real Thing" reached number 34.

"Ain't Nothing Like the Real Thing"
A-side label of the U.S. vinyl single
Single by Marvin Gaye and Tammi Terrell
from the album You're All I Need
ReleasedMarch 28, 1968
RecordedHitsville USA; 1967
GenreSoul, pop
Length2:12
LabelTamla
T 54163
Songwriter(s)Ashford & Simpson
Producer(s)Ashford & Simpson
Marvin Gaye and Tammi Terrell singles chronology
"If I Could Build My Whole World Around You"
(1967)		 "Ain't Nothing Like the Real Thing"
(1968)		 "You're All I Need to Get By"
(1968)
Alternative release
Artwork for Dutch vinyl single

"Ain't Nothing Like the Real Thing" is ranked as the 57th biggest US hit of 1968.

Chart performance

Personnel

Remakes

Donny & Marie cover
"Ain't Nothing Like the Real Thing"
Artwork for German vinyl single
Single by Donny & Marie Osmond
from the album New Season
ReleasedNovember 1976
Genrepop, Adult Contemporary
LabelPolydor/Kolob
Songwriter(s)Ashford & Simpson
Producer(s)Mike Curb and Michael Lloyd
Donny & Marie Osmond singles chronology
"Deep Purple"
(1975)		 "Ain't Nothing Like the Real Thing"
(1976)		 "(You're My) Soul and Inspiration"
(1977)

Donny Osmond and Marie Osmond, billed as Donny & Marie, remade "Ain't Nothing Like the Real Thing" for their November 1976 album release New Season, with the track having a concurrent single release to reach #21 on the Billboard Hot 100 in February 1977, also charting Adult Contemporary at #17. It was also a chart hit in Canada, peaking at #26 on the pop chart and #11 on the AC chart.[6]

Chart performance
Chart (1976–77) Peak
position
Canada RPM Top Singles[7] 26
Canada RPM Adult Contemporary[8] 11
U.S. Billboard Hot 100 21
U.S. Billboard Adult Contemporary [9] 17
U.S. Cash Box Top 100 30

Other US charting versions
  • Aretha Franklin remade "Ain't Nothing Like the Real Thing" for her 1974 album Let Me in Your Life. It was issued as the album's third hit single that August. Franklin's version radically re-invents the upbeat Marvin Gaye/Tammi Terrell original as a deep soul ballad which Jon Landau of Rolling Stone dismissed as "misconceived (done too slowly)".[10] Billboard described it as being highlighted by "extremely powerful vocals."[11] "Ain't Nothing Like the Real Thing" reached #6 on the Billboard Soul chart and #47 on the Hot 100 that fall. It won Franklin the Best Female R&B Vocal Performance Grammy for 1974 marking Franklin's eighth total and consecutive win in that category and her last such win until the Grammys for 1981.

Marcella Detroit & Elton John version
"Ain't Nothing Like the Real Thing"
Single by Marcella Detroit and Elton John
from the album Elton John's Duets and Marcella Detroit's Jewel
ReleasedMay 2, 1994
Recorded1993
GenrePop
Length3:36
LabelLondon Records
Songwriter(s)Marcella Detroit
Marcella Detroit singles chronology
"I Believe"
(1994)		 "Ain't Nothing Like the Real Thing"
(1994)		 "I'm No Angel"
(1994)
Elton John singles chronology
"Shakey Ground"
(1994)		 "Ain't Nothing Like the Real Thing"
(1994)		 "Can You Feel the Love Tonight"
(1994)

"Ain't Nothing Like the Real Thing" was recorded by UK singer Elton John and US singer Marcella Detroit for John's 1993 album Duets. After its inclusion on Detroit's album Jewel, the song was released as a single under London Records in May 1994, as the fourth and final song from Duets, and the second single from Jewel, with all b-sides performed solo by Detroit.[12][13]

Track listing
  • CD single 1
  1. "Ain't Nothing Like the Real Thing" — 3:36
  2. "Break the Chain" — 3:47
  3. "I Feel Free" — 4:08
  • CD single 2
  1. "Ain't Nothing Like the Real Thing" (Kenny Dope Extended Mix) — 5:48
  2. "Ain't Nothing Like the Real Thing" (Troopa Mood Mix) — 3:43
  3. "I Feel Free" (Full Cream Mix) — 9:35
  4. "I Feel Free" (Cry Out Loud Mix) — 5:47

Charts
Chart (1994) Peak
position
UK Singles (Official Charts Company)[14] 24

Other versions
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References
  1. Whitburn, Joel (2004). Top R&B/Hip-Hop Singles: 1942-2004. Record Research. p. 225.
  2. "Item Display - RPM - Library and Archives Canada". Collectionscanada.gc.ca. Archived from the original on September 27, 2016. Retrieved October 1, 2016.
  3. "Cash Box Top 100 Singles, June 8, 1968". Archived from the original on August 12, 2014. Retrieved June 12, 2017.
  4. "Top 100 Hits of 1968/Top 100 Songs of 1978". musicoutfitters.com. Retrieved February 22, 2015.
  5. "Cash Box Year-End Charts: Top 100 Pop Singles, December 28, 1968". Archived from the original on October 9, 2016. Retrieved June 12, 2017.
  6. "Item Display - RPM - Library and Archives Canada". Collectionscanada.gc.ca. March 5, 1977. Retrieved April 15, 2018.
  7. "Image : RPM Weekly - Library and Archives Canada". Bac-lac.gc.ca. February 12, 1977. Retrieved April 15, 2018.
  8. "Item Display - RPM - Library and Archives Canada". Collectionscanada.gc.ca. March 5, 1977. Retrieved April 15, 2018.
  9. "Adult Contemporary Music Chart". Billboard. February 7, 1976. Retrieved September 27, 2016.
  10. Landau, Jon (April 11, 1974). "Let Me in Your Life". Rolling Stone. Retrieved October 1, 2016.
  11. "Top Single Picks" (PDF). Billboard. August 17, 1974. p. 58. Retrieved July 22, 2020.
  12. "Elton John - Duets at Discogs". Discogs.com. Retrieved December 2, 2012.
  13. "Marcella Detroit at Discogs". Discogs.com. Retrieved December 2, 2012.
  14. "Chart Log UK 1994–2010 Asher D – Dyverse". Retrieved November 25, 2012.
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